


Bound To Break

by thinkoutsidethebex



Category: Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Death, F/M, a wee bit of tortue, illusions of sexual assault, zeus being a total and complete fuck head
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-04 19:22:48
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 5
Words: 21,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25061569
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thinkoutsidethebex/pseuds/thinkoutsidethebex
Summary: Andromeda and Perseus feel they’re made for each other. They know they’re meant to be together, even if the gods say otherwise. Even their constellations are together. When Zeus issues a decree that they defy, his fury forces them apart. Is their love strong enough to overcome even the will of the gods?Inspired by the song "Rewrite The Stars" from The Greatest Showman
Relationships: Andromeda/Perseus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Aphrodite/Hephaestus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Hades/Persephone (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Hera/Zeus, Maria Hill/Sam Wilson, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Peter Parker/Reader
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

Strands of pink and purple painted the Manhattan skyline as the sun slowly descended behind the clustered skyscrapers of the city. From her spot on the Queensborough bridge, Y/N smiled softly at the sight. Dusk had always been her favorite time of day. Even in a city like New York that was always busy and loud, something about the fading daylight made everything just slow down. She took a deep breath of the evening air and smiled again, a little sadder this time. It had been ten years since she and her husband, Peter, had settled in New York. Their time here was coming to an end, and Y/N couldn’t help but think back to the events that had brought them here. 

She hadn’t always been Y/N. She’d been born many, many centuries ago in ancient Greece. It was a time of heroes and gods, and the things legends were made of. Her mother had named her Andromeda and boasted that she was so beautiful the gods would one day hang her portrait in the stars. She was right about that, even if she didn’t know it. Andromeda grew into a beautiful young woman who drew the attraction and favor of dozens of young suitors. Among them was the famed hero, Perseus. Almost as soon as they met, they fell madly in love, and they were wed soon after. 

Over time, the gods of Olympus fell out of favor with the humans. Zeus, the king of the gods, recognized the shift in the world and called all his subjects and their consorts back to Mount Olympus.

“The time has come for us to retreat from the world of mortals,” he told them. “Perhaps one day they will be ready for our return, but until then we must let them think us gone.” Perseus, among several other heroes of Greece, was called up as well. As a reward for the many great feats he had accomplished on Earth, Zeus offered him and Andromeda immortality and a place on Mount Olympus. They agreed quickly, and thus their journey began. 

For the next few centuries, the gods and immortals of Olympus came and went between their home on the mountain and the world of humans. Some of them went to Earth simply because they were bored, some due to a fascination with the mortals, and others still to bask in the reverence the humans still held for them. The tales of the gods and the legends of the heroes faded into nothing more than myths and simple bedtime stories. The immortals quickly, or as quickly as possible for immortals, realized that their prolonged presence on Earth caused at best an air of confusion, and at worst a state of panic. Their agelessness whipped some of the more anxious humans into a frenzy, leading to rumors of witchcraft. About the time of the crucifixion, Zeus called them to return again, issuing another decree. The immortals could still visit earth, but for a period of no longer than ten years at a time and with at least one generation between their visits to quell suspicion. The ruling wasn’t popular, but Zeus’ logic was sound and his word law.

And so, the immortals obeyed. Their visits staggered and spread out, spanning the majority of human existence. Andromeda and Perseus always made their visits together, as did most of the married couples of Olympus: Zeus and Hera, Hades and Persephone, Aphrodite and Hephaestus. A few times Zeus approached Andromeda as the time for a journey drew near and asked if she wanted to join him. Each time she turned him down, as politely as possible, finding it odd he’d want to spend time with her and not his wife. He took each rejection in stride but the last one, around World War II seemed to genuinely cause him anger. When she told Perseus, he waved it off as nothing more than Zeus looking for a change of routine. He found it harmless but each time it made Andromeda’s skin crawl. 

“Whatcha thinkin’, pretty girl?”

Her husband’s words shook her from her trance. She turned over her shoulder to smile at him and found his warm brown eyes smiling back. For this journey, they had chosen the names Peter and Y/N, and she had to admit they were her favorite so far. This was the last night of their decade on Earth, and once the sun fully set Hermes would arrive to take them back to Mount Olympus. Y/N was usually more excited to return home, but something about today felt different. She had a sinking feeling in her gut that their return to Olympus wouldn’t be the same.

“Constellations,” she answered him finally, turning her eyes back to the sky.

“That wasn’t the answer I was expecting but I like it,” Peter replied, stepping up behind her to wrap his arms around her waist. “Why are you thinking about constellations?”

“Just appreciating that ours are right next to each other,” she said with a smile.

“The gods must have known we were destined for each other.”

“They put mine up after yours, Peter.”

“That’s beside the point.”

She chuckled softly as Peter smirked and rested his chin on her shoulder. They stood like this for a moment before Peter spoke again.

“I mean it, you know,” he whispered against the shell of her ear.

“Mean what?” she hummed, closing her eyes and leaning into his touch.

“That we’re destined to be together,” he said, pulling back to look at her properly. “I knew from the first moment I saw you that I’d spend my forever with you.” They both smiled and Peter pecked Y/N on the bridge of her nose, eliciting a small giggle from her.

“Do you mean when you wandered past my house still carrying the severed head of Medusa?” Peter’s face and arms fell at the same time and he shook his head.

“Can you stay on point for like five minutes?” he asked incredulously.

“Right. Sorry,” Y/N chuckled. “Continue.” 

“Can’t. Moment’s gone. You killed it.”

“Like you killed Medusa?”

Peter blinked once and looked back at her for a second before they both descended into a fit of giggles. His arms wrapped back around her and he placed a kiss to the top of her head.

“My dream girl,” he murmured softly. Y/N smiled and held him close, resting her head in the crook of his neck.

“My hero,” she sighed in response.

They stayed like this, holding each other as the stars in the sky slowly blinked to life. With each new light, the unease in Y/N’s heart grew heavier. She couldn’t put into words what she was feeling, but it weighed on her with each passing moment. 

“I wish we didn’t have to go,” she whispered into Peter’s neck. He rubbed her back soothingly and kissed her head again.

“I know, Y/N,” he said. “But it’s not like we can just ignore Ze-I mean Steve’s orders.” A sigh left her lips as she nodded, hugging him tighter. 

“I just have a bad feeling this time,” she admitted. 

“What kind of feeling?”

“Like something bad is about to happen. I don’t even know how to explain it. I’m just…,” she trailed off and looked up at her husband with wide, terrified eyes. “I’m scared, Peter.” Surprised, Peter took a small step back and cupped her face in his hands.

“Hey, Y/N, no,” he said softly. “Everything is gonna be okay. As long as I have you and you have me, we can get through anything. We made it through the Black Plague, remember?” She chuckled gently as the last fleeting rays of sunlight were snuffed out by nightfall. 

“I love you Perseus.”

“I love you too, Andromeda.”

Andromeda stretched up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. Perseus held her close and sighed into the kiss when they heard a familiar whoosh behind them.

“Impeccable timing as always, Hermes,” Perseus joked, turning to face the small crowd that had appeared behind them.

“It’s what I’m known for,” Hermes replied with a small smirk. “Are you both ready?” Perseus nodded and stepped forward, wrapping his arms around his friend as Andromeda turned to look back over the water. The familiar faces behind her were a welcome sight but did little to ease the weight on her conscious.

At the head of the group was Hermes, clad in a sharp grey suit and pointed black shoes. For this visit, his persona was a successful businessman named Tony Stark. He’d gained a fair amount of notoriety and the entire news cycle for the past week had been dominated by his mysterious disappearance. 

Behind him were the twins, Apollo and Artemis. They’d branded themselves Clint Barton and Kate Bishop, and spent their decade in the European forests living out some rogue Robin Hood fantasy. Demeter was with them, or Carol as she called herself, fresh from a brilliant but short-lived career as a pilot.

At the rear of the group was Poseidon, who bypassed the others and went straight to Andromeda. The two of them had always gotten along well, and they missed each other when they were apart. He stepped up beside where she leaned against the railing. 

“Hey stranger,” he teased softly. 

“Hey _Bucky_ ,” she teased back, emphasizing the name he’d picked for himself. “I missed you.”

“I missed you too, _Y/N_ ,” he said with a smile. “How was your decade?”

“It was fine,” she shrugged. “How was yours. Do anything exciting?” Poseidon could sense her unease but decided not to press it.

“Same as always,” he said. “Traveled a bit. Learned another language.”

“What’s the count now?”

“Twenty-one.” 

Andromeda laughed and shook her head gently. The god of the sea had always been secretive about his time on Earth. He was always alone, and when he returned he never talked about what he did with his time.

“One of these days I’m going to get you a wife to gossip with me about all your dirty little secrets,” she joked. Poseidon chuckled and hugged her closer.

“I’m afraid it’s the perpetual bachelor life for me,” he sighed. “We can’t all be as lucky as you and lover boy.” Perseus caught her eye from where he was standing talking with Hermes and tossed her a wink. Poseidon noticed and laughed again, walking her toward the rest of the immortals. 

“You’re lucky, Rommie,” he said quietly. “Most people spend their entire lives searching for their soulmate. You found yours early on and now you get to spend actual forever with him. I’ve seen people kill for less.”

“You really think he’s my soulmate?” she asked, blushing softly.

“You’ve been married for like 3,000 years. You’re really gonna start questioning it now?”

“No. I’ve just never heard anyone but me say it before.”

She blushed again and tucked her hair behind her ear. Poseidon stopped and turned her to face him, placing his hands on her shoulders. His blue eyes shone in the moonlight and bored intensely into hers as he spoke again.

“It’s true, Rommie,” he said again. “You and Perseus are two halves made whole. Don’t let _anyone_ tell you any different.”

The conviction in his eyes and words was so strong it took Andromeda back for a moment. She tried to speak but the words died on her tongue, so she merely nodded. 

“Ready when you are,” Hemes called, bringing their attention back to the matter at hand. Poseidon released her shoulders and stepped away, just as Perseus slid his hand into hers. It took her a moment to process what had just happened before she turned back to her husband. 

“You ready?” he asked, kissing her forehead. With a deep breath, Andromeda looked out over her beloved city one last time. She nodded and placed a hand on Hermes’ arm, sighing as the rush of wings enveloped her.

Olympus was bustling when they arrived, with nymphs, sprites, and other immortals bustling about. The instant their feet hit Olympian soil, Hermes was on the move, making his way up the towering staircase in front of them to the golden podium at the top. Behind it sat a frazzled looking man, writing furiously in an open book. His brown hair was ruffled, and his glasses slid down his nose as he called out to them.

“Everyone check in here, please,” he yelled, waving them forward. “Make sure to declare any mortal artifacts you’ve brought with you.” Andromeda skipped up the stairs to the podium, smiling brightly at the exhausted man.

“Hi Bruce-I mean Athena,” she greeted, blushing at the use of his most recent human pseudonym. “How are you?”

“Swamped,” he replied heavily. “I found out someone messed up some translations of an old text and now everyone on Earth thinks I’m a woman.”

“What’s so bad about that?” called a voice from behind him. He turned to see Hestia, her long hair flowing and eyes burning red, staring back at him. 

“The woman part doesn’t bother me,” he sighed, removing his glasses and rubbing his eyes. “But I’m the god of wisdom. If anyone should be able to properly translate something it should be my followers.” Hestia and Andromeda shared a look, both of them biting back laughter as Andromeda signed the check-in book and stepped aside. As the others signed in behind her, she turned to take in the sights of her home. Despite the fear that was still gnawing at her mind, it felt good to be back after so long away.

“Hail, Mighty Zeus!” came a cry from her right. Her head snapped up and sure enough, striding toward her were Zeus and his wife Hera. The king of the gods was a towering and imposing man, all rippling muscles and icy blue eyes. He was taller than almost everyone and his stature only helped to cement his air of authority. Hera was a different type of intimidating, with dark hair and eyes and a much smaller frame. Being smaller didn’t keep her from being mildly terrifying, and together the king and queen walking toward her sent shivers down Andromeda’s spine. She turned to reach for Perseus, but he was still deep in conversation with Athena by the time Zeus reached her.

“Your Majesties,” she said with a shaking voice, curtsying low.

“Welcome home, Andromeda,” Zeus said, smiling down at her. “How was your time on Earth?”

“It was wonderful, Your Majesty,” she replied. “As always.” Zeus chuckled softly and placed a hand on her arm, rubbing the skin slightly with his thumb. 

“Will you ever drop the formality and just call me Zeus?” he asked, his thumb still stroking her skin.

“I-I don’t think so, Your Majesty,” she answered. She fought against the shiver threatening her under his touch, but the goosebumps that erupted gave away her discomfort. 

“Maybe one day I’ll convince you to accompany me to Earth, and we can finally get on a first-name basis.” This time, the shudder overtook her spine and she looked up at the king. His tone was friendly, but his eyes were blown wide and dark. He looked at her almost hungrily and she had to bite her lip to keep from whimpering in fear. Over his shoulder, she caught a glimpse of Poseidon, who gave her a slight shake of his head. Before Andromeda could come up with a reply, Perseus appeared next to her, bowing low. 

“Your Majesties,” he greeted the king and queen. “It’s good to see you again.” Zeus dropped his hand from Andromeda’s arm and looked over her husband, a look of mild annoyance settling over him.

“And you, Perseus,” he replied, a bit coldly. “You both must be tired. I’ll let you retire.” Without another word, he turned and walked to Athena’s podium. Hera glared slightly at Andromeda before following behind her husband to greet the returning gods. Goosebumps still dotted Andromeda’s skin as Perseus pecked her cheek and took her hand. 

“Come on, beautiful,” he said, oblivious to the discomfort she felt. “Let’s go home.”

The home Perseus and Andromeda shared on Mount Olympus wasn’t extravagant by any means, but it was perfect for them. Their bedroom was completely open-air, with long thick curtains they could draw to fight the cold when it crept in. The rest of the home, a living room, kitchen, and study, were modest and furnished comfortably. Nothing was over the top or flashy, but it conveyed a sense of serenity and calm. All in all, it was a small home, but just enough for the two of them. Perseus made a beeline for the bedroom and flung himself onto the soft mattress. 

“It’s so good to be home,” he mumbled, face pressed against the pillows. Andromeda giggled softly and followed him, drawing back the curtains to let in the fresh night air. 

“It is,” she sighed, leaning her elbows on the railing and looking out over the mountain. Her defeated tone was enough to break through the haze of sleep threatening to overtake Perseus, who pushed himself off the bed and made his way to her.

“What’s wrong?” he asked gently. 

“Nothing,” she replied. “I’m just tired.”

“It’s so cute that after all this time you still think that’ll work,” he chuckled, leaning next to her on the railing. She sighed deeper and looked over at him, the question that had been rattling around in her head tumbling out before she could stop it.

“Do you ever think about not coming back?” she blurted out. Her question took Perseus by surprise, and his face said as much. Andromeda waited out the sudden silence with her lip between her teeth, the only sound around them the hooting of a nearby owl.

“Y-you mean staying on Earth?” he finally asked. 

“Yes,” she replied, wringing her hands. “Maybe as Peter and Y/N.” She looked down, suddenly embarrassed by even the thought of abandoning Olympus.

“Hey,” her husband said softly, tilting her chin up gently with his pointer finger. “Talk to me. Tell me what’s going on in that pretty head of yours. Is this about your feeling?”

“A little,” she admitted shyly. “But I’ve been thinking about it the last few times we’ve gone. I just…” She stopped herself and sniffled softly, unsure of how to continue. 

“Tell me,” Perseus pressed. “Please.”

“This isn’t the life we were meant for, Perseus,” she began. “We were both born mortal. We were supposed to have mortal lives, but we chose something bigger. I’m so grateful for all this time I’ve had with you, I really am. I wouldn’t trade our time together for anything. But every time we go back we make all these new friends and then we just have to leave. It’s just…it’s too hard.”

“Are you saying you want to die?” he asked, confused. 

“I’m saying I want to live,” she replied. “I want us to be able to have a family together and grow old together. I want us to live the life we were meant for.”

Silence pressed around them once more, save for the occasional hooting of the owl outside the window. Andromeda could see it’s wide yellow eyes staring at her from the nearest tree. It didn’t blink and somehow managed to make her feel like it understood every word they were saying. Eventually, Perseus reached over and took her hand. 

“I didn’t realize you felt like this,” he whispered, squeezing her hand.

“You couldn’t have known,” she replied with a shrug. “I never said anything.”

“This is…a lot,” he admitted. 

“I know,” she said, her eyes dropping between them. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be sorry, my love,” he said, turning fully to face her. “I’m glad you told me. I just need some time to process. Can I have a few days to think about it?”

“Of course,” Andromeda nodded, looking up. “Take all the time you need.” Perseus cupped her face in his hands and leaned down to kiss her softly.

“I love you, my dream girl,” he whispered against her lips.

“I love you too, my hero,” she answered with a small smile. He kissed her again and wrapped her arms fully around her, resting his head on hers.

“It’s been a long day,” Perseus said, holding back a yawn. “Let’s get some sleep, yeah?” With a deep sigh, Andromeda nodded and let her husband lead her into their bed. They wound themselves together under the sheets and fell asleep quickly, neither of them noticing as the owl perched outside their window took flight and headed directly for Zeus’ palace. 


	2. Chapter 2

The next morning, Perseus and Andromeda were awakened by a loud banging on their door. Groaning, Andromeda rolled over and pulled a pillow over her head to block out the sound. 

“Who even knows we’re back?” she whined, feeling Perseus shift beside her.

“Oh, like you don’t know who it is,” he mumbled. “Go get the door, _Y/N_.”

“Shut up, _Peter_ ,” she teased back, throwing the pillow off her head and onto his. She ignored his annoyed grumbles when she got up and left the room, yawning as she made her way to the front door. The second she opened it someone burst through, nearly knocking her onto the floor. She only caught a glimpse of silvery-white hair before she felt a pair of arms thrown around her neck. 

“You’re home!”

The air left Andromeda’s lungs at the force of the hug, and it took her a moment to regain her composure. Once she did, she was able to piece together who was at her door. 

“Hey, Dite,” she wheezed. “Yeah, we’re back.” The goddess finally let her go and stepped back to get a better look at her friend. 

Aphrodite and Andromeda had been best friends since the Olympians had retreated from the human world. When the mortals Zeus called up came to the mountain, most of the gods weren’t happy about it. Despite the heroic tasks that had made Zeus deem them worthy, some of the gods still viewed Olympus as a safe haven for their kind only. Aphrodite, however, welcomed the new immortals with open arms. Maybe it had something to do with her hand in human soul mates, but she took to their new additions quickly. She and Andromeda grew close over the years, often confiding in each other when their frustrations with their husbands grew. When one of them went to Earth the other counted the days until her return, which was why Aphrodite was on her doorstep at this ungodly hour.

“I missed you so much!” Aphrodite exclaimed, her green eyes glinting with excitement. 

“I missed you too,” Andromeda said, leading her friend to the living room and plopping down on the couch. “I would have missed you just as much after a few more hours of sleep though.” 

“And risk someone else being the first one to welcome you back?” she smirked, shaking her head. “Not a chance.”

“Well, Zeus welcomed us last night, so you missed out anyway,” said Perseus from behind them. The girls turned to see his sleepy form as he tumbled into the room, rubbing his eyes. Aphrodite scoffed and rolled her own eyes as he walked over to kiss the top of his wife’s head.

“He doesn’t count,” she said. “He welcomes everyone back. I’m the first one that matters.”

“Whatever, I’m making waffles,” he mumbled, disappearing into the kitchen. Andromeda turned back with a sigh to an excited Aphrodite looking back at her.

“So, how was Earth?” she asked excitedly. “Tell me everything. And please tell me you picked a better name than I did last time. I’ll never live Felicia down.” Andromeda giggled and shrugged as she fiddled with the hem of her sleep shirt.

“I was Y/N,” she said. “Perseus was Peter.”

“Not the most creative but I dig it,” Aphrodite replied. “So, how was it?”

“It was ok,” she muttered. “You know, like always.” She looked down at her feet, feeling her friend’s stare practically burning a hole in the top of her head. 

“I know that face,” the goddess said. “What’s going on?” Andromeda sighed deeply and started to wring her hands in her lap. Even though Aphrodite was her best friend, she was still nervous to tell her about the conversation she’d had with Perseus. She knew her friend would be supportive of her, but this was bigger than anything she’d considered since giving up her mortality. 

“W-well, Perseus and I were talking last night,” she began meekly. “And I brought up the idea of maybe going back to Earth…permanently.” Shock filled Aphrodite’s eyes as a deafening silence flooded the room. Andromeda kept her eyes down as she allowed the goddess to take in her words. 

“Why?” Aphrodite whispered. 

“It’s where we belong,” Andromeda replied simply. “Perseus and I were born human. We were never meant to be here. I just feel like this phase of our life has given us everything we can get. It feels like it’s time to move on.” The two of them stared at each other for a moment, both fighting back tears. Aphrodite took her hand and squeezed gently, trying and failing several times to speak. This was the part Andromeda had been fearing the most. She loved her life on Olympus and the friends she’d made, but something had always felt off here. Being on Earth, being Y/N, felt like she was finally who she was supposed to be. 

“How does Perseus feel about it?” Aphrodite asked thickly. 

“He feels the same way,” came Perseus’ voice again. Andromeda whipped around to see her husband smiling gently from the doorway.

“H-he does?” she asked with a shaky voice. He smiled a little wider and walked over to kneel in front of her. 

“I know I wasn’t sure when you brought it up,” he started. “But the more I thought about it the more I realized you’re right. We don’t belong here.”

“You’re really willing to give this all up?” she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Perseus took both her hands in his and brushed his thumbs across her knuckles. 

“I don’t care if we’re here or on Earth or even in Tartarus,” he said. “All I need is to be with you.” That was all it took for the dam to break. Tears streamed down Andromeda’s face as she threw her arms around Perseus’ neck, nearly knocking him off his feet. He held her back just as tight, a few tears of his own falling onto her shoulder. Their moment was short-lived, however, as another loud knock sounded at the door.

“My gods, we just got back,” Andromeda groaned. “How do so many people know already?” She stood from the sofa and made her way back to the door, grumbling to herself and wiping her eyes. When she opened it, she was greeted by a slightly disheveled and annoyed-looking Hermes. He was wearing the same suit he had been last night, only more wrinkled and messier. Bags tugged at the bottoms of his eyes and his hair stuck out at odd angles. 

“Hermes?” Andromeda questioned. “What are you doing here? Is everything ok?” Hermes said nothing, offering only a curt nod as Andromeda stepped aside to let him in. He marched into the living room, faltering slightly when he saw Aphrodite. 

“Ah, Dite, good,” he mumbled. “Save me a trip. Zeus has called a mandatory meeting tonight. All residents of Olympus must attend.”

“What’s it about?” Perseus asked.

“Haven’t the foggiest,” Hermes replied, already headed for the door. “I’m just the messenger. Be at the north palace courtyard at sundown.” His hand found the doorknob and he was almost out when he stopped short to turn back over his shoulder. He looked straight at Andromeda, his gaze lingering for a moment, and for some reason it filled her with dread. Her stomach dropped as he looked her over and then rushed out the door. The three immortals were left stunned in his wake, staring at each other in confused silence. 

  
Perseus and Andromeda entered the courtyard hand in hand as the sun was almost directly atop the horizon. Immortals mingled around, none of them quite sure what was happening. The last time Zeus had called a gathering like this was when he passed the decree restricting their travel to Earth. They walked along, nodding to a few of their friends as they found a spot in front of the towering oak tree at the center of the courtyard. Andromeda looked up at the tree and smiled to herself. 

The oak tree had been on the palace grounds for as long as the gods themselves. Legend said the tree was somehow tied to Zeus’ power and that its bark was the only substance in any realm strong enough to pierce his skin. Whether that was true or just another story made up by humans was anyone’s guess, but Zeus kept a close eye on the tree all the same. The humans who worshipped him adopted oak tree sigils to honor him, only furthering the legend. 

At the front of the courtyard stood Zeus’ palace. The ornate castle loomed above them, it’s pristine white marbled walls reflecting the light of the ending day. A large balcony jutted out from one of the central towers and standing on it were the gods. The twelve Olympians, along with Hades, rarely gathered like this, and it only served to heighten the anxiety in the crowd. Andromeda let her eyes scan over the gods, taking in the one she hadn’t seen in many years. Hera was there, of course, looking stern as ever. Next to her was Persephone who had an almost equal air of annoyance over the whole affair. Both of them had their dark hair tied in matching buns at the back of their heads and seemed to be looking forward to the end of their most recent public appearance. Hades stood a few feet from his wife, staring blankly out over the crowd. His eyes swept over the masses until he found Andromeda, and his normally hardened façade cracked into the smallest of smirks. It was small, but enough to send fear rippling down Andromeda’s spine. The god of the underworld was easily the most intimidating of his brothers, maybe even of all the gods. He was always perfectly polished, with his dark hair and beard neatly trimmed and his suits crisply pressed. His eyes were so dark they almost looked black, and there was a fire in them that was anything but warm. His thrall over her was broken when Zeus appeared, striding toward the front of the balcony. Poseidon followed behind him with a defeated look on his face. He searched the crowd as well, also stopping when he found Andromeda. Unlike Hades, when Poseidon found her, his face fell. He looked at her almost apologetically as Zeus began to speak.

“Thank you all for coming,” the king boomed, his voice amplified to ring through the entire crowd. “I know this was short notice and you all have things to do so I’ll keep this as brief as possible.” As he looked down, Hades caught Andromeda’s eyes again. He jutted his chin slightly, indicating the tree behind her. Slowly, she turned toward the oak. Perched high up in the branches was the same owl she’d seen outside her home the night before. It’s yellow eyes bored down into hers as she turned to whisper to Perseus. Before she could, Zeus continued. 

“For centuries, residents of Olympus have straddled the line between worlds,” he said, his hands resting on the railing. “We’ve existed in two realms, flitting back and forth as we see fit. This cannot continue. From this day forward, all residents of Olympus are hereby banned from the realm of Earth.” The crowd exploded in anger at his declaration, everyone screaming arguments at their king. Every immortal was shouting in outrage, except for Andromeda. She stood, rooted to her spot like the ancient tree behind her, staring at Hades. She vaguely registered the screech of the owl before it took off toward the palace, landing deftly next to Hades. As the volume of the crowd grew, Zeus became visibly annoyed. After a few moments, a huge bolt of lightning struck the courtyard, silencing the rabble instantly. Electricity crackled around the king and he spoke again, more sternly than before. 

“This is my decree,” he said slowly “As Almighty Zeus, king of the gods and ruler of Olympus. As such, it is law and beyond reproach. That is all.” With that, Zeus turned and disappeared back into the palace. Andromeda could see the immortals around her start to yell again, their arms flailing as the other gods followed Zeus, but all she could hear was a low ringing in her ears. Perseus was yelling at Aphrodite, still up on the balcony with the other gods, but Andromeda couldn’t make out the words. Slowly, she sank to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest. Some of the crowd jostled her as they stomped around in anger, but she paid them no mind. She didn’t know when she started to cry, or when Perseus noticed and lifted her off the ground, but the next thing she knew she was home on her couch, sobbing into his shoulder. He said something that she couldn’t make out, so she pulled back to wipe her eyes and studied his worried face. 

“W-what?” she stammered. 

“I said, I’m going to talk to Zeus,” he said. “Maybe I can reason with him.”

“You can’t,” she replied flatly. “He did this on purpose.” Before he could ask what she meant their front door banged open and Aphrodite rushed in. She ran to the couch and sat down next to Andromeda, taking her hand. 

“I’m so sorry,” she whispered. “Nobody knew. He ambushed all of us with this.”

“Why?” Perseus asked her. “Did he tell anyone why?”

“It’s because of us,” Andromeda said, causing them to look over at her. “He knew we wanted to leave so he stopped us.” Aphrodite and Perseus exchanged a look before Perseus spoke.

“Drom, that’s a bit of a stretch don’t you think?” he asked gently. 

“Did you see the owl outside when we were talking about leaving last night?” She waited for Perseus to nod before she continued. “The same owl was in the tree in the courtyard today. It took off before the lightning and landed next to Hades.”

“Babes, you’re gonna have to connect some dots for us here,” Aphrodite pleaded. 

“Owls are servants of Hades,” she explained. “He was using it to spy on us. He told Zeus we were planning to leave.”

“Why would Hades be spying on us?” Perseus asked, shaking his head. “We’ve never done anything to him.”

“Because Zeus told him to,” Andromeda replied. “I’ve always felt weird about Zeus and the way he is around me. He’s been trying to get me to take trips to Earth with him for centuries. I…I think he wants…me.” The room fell silent for a moment at her admission. The thought had been in her head for a while, centuries in fact, but voicing it had always felt too crazy. Until now. She knew the owl had been Hades’ spy, and Hades wouldn’t do something like that for anyone but Zeus. The years of sideways glances and lingering touches all suddenly made sense. Zeus didn’t care about the other immortals visiting Earth, he cared about keeping Andromeda on Olympus. Perseus took her hand in his and squeezed gently. For a moment he planned to argue with her, but he reconsidered. If three thousand years with his wife had taught him anything it was to trust her instincts. She had never been wrong when she listened to her gut and he had no reason to doubt her now. As far-fetched as it sounded, she clearly believed it and he believed her. 

“What do we do?” he asked finally.

“Oh, you can’t be serious,” Aphrodite cried, tossing her hands up. Andromeda sighed in relief and dropped her chin to her chest. She squeezed his hand back and took a deep, steadying breath before she answered.

“Do you remember the intruders we had a few centuries ago?” she asked. 

“The Norse guys?” Perseus replied. Andromeda nodded and stood up, wringing her hands. 

“One of them showed me these secret passages he uses to travel between realms,” she said. “And one of them leads to Earth.”

“But only Zeus and Hermes can travel between worlds,” Perseus said, his brow furrowed in confusion.

“Not with these,” Andromeda explained. “They’re like…emergency exits. We can use it to get to Earth.”

“You can’t actually be considering this,” Aphrodite piped up. “You can’t just defy Zeus like that. He’ll come after you!”

“Let him,” Perseus said, putting his arm around Andromeda’s shoulders. “When he does, we’ll face him together. As soul mates.”

“But you’re not soul mates!” she blurted out, immediately clapping her hands over her mouth. Perseus and Andromeda looked at her, their faces draining of color. 

“W-what?” Andromeda stammered. Her heart thundered in her ears as she willed herself to focus on Aphrodite’s words. 

“Oh, gods. Drom, I’m so sorry,” Aphrodite said. “I shouldn’t have said anything.”

“No, Dite, what did you mean?” Perseus asked forcefully. Aphrodite looked down and shifted uncomfortably in her spot before she spoke. 

“I’m so sorry,” she repeated. “You both just seemed so happy that I never wanted to ruin it. But…you’re not soul mates. You never were.” Perseus hugged his wife tighter as they stared at the goddess before them. Neither of them could speak over the lumps that had formed in their throats. Aphrodite opened her mouth to speak again when Perseus cut her off. 

“I think you need to go,” he said abruptly, kissing the top of Andromeda’s head. Aphrodite looked like she wanted to argue but something about Perseus’ demeanor must have made her second guess it, and she rushed out the door. 

A soft breeze wafted in through the open windows as Perseus held Andromeda in his arms. Aphrodite’s admission had rocked them both, but neither of them wanted to admit it out loud. The silence stretched on as Perseus rubbed her back gently. 

“She’s wrong,” he said finally. A soft chuckle left Andromeda’s lips before she could bite it back. 

“The goddess of love is wrong about soul mates?” she asked meekly.

“She is,” he replied matter-of-factly. “I knew from the moment I met you that we were destined to be together and that feeling hasn’t faded once. And it’s not going to fade when we go back to Earth. You’re mine. And I’m yours. And nothing and no one can change that.” More tears formed in her eyes as she pulled back to look up at him.

“When?” she asked, mimicking the word he’d chosen. Perseus leaned down to press his lips gently against her, smiling softly. 

“Let’s go.”

  
Darkness pressed in on them as the couple crept through the streets of Olympus. Most everyone had already gone to sleep and an eerie quiet blanketed over them. Every step they took seemed to echo twice as loud as normal as they hurried forward, hand in hand. The palace stood tall above them as they spotted a small passage at the edge of the grounds. 

“There,” Andromeda whispered, pointing. “Next to the waterfall.” Perseus nodded and squeezed her hand.

“On three?” he suggested. 

“On three.”

“One…two…three.”

They made a break for the passage together, running at full speed. Their feet pounded the stone pathways as they ran, and with each step Andromeda allowed herself to be filled with the hope that this might actually work. They were nearly to the entrance when an owl screeched and the torches around them roared to life. Both of them skidded to a stop, blinking in the sudden brightness as several figures emerged from the shadows. Andromeda gasped as they came into view and she realized just how much danger they had put themselves in. Zeus came into view first, followed by Hades, a red-eyed Hestia, Hephaestus, and his terrified-looking wife, Aphrodite. 

“Dite…no,” Andromeda mumbled. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered, stepping behind her husband. Tears formed in Andromeda’s eyes and she clung to Perseus’ arm as the gods stepped forward. 

“Of all the people to defy my order, I never would have suspected you,” Zeus seethed, lightning crackling in his eyes.

“Your Majesty, please,” Perseus began. 

“Silence!” the king roared, a blast of thunder booming in the distance. “Who are you to go against your king? Need I remind you I gave you your immortality in the first place?”

“Well, we don’t want it anymore!” Andromeda yelled. More lightning flashed as Zeus’ face contorted in rage. 

“You think yourself above us?” the king asked. “Above the gift that has been bestowed upon on you?”

“No, the opposite,” she protested. “We were born human. We want to be human again.”

“Why?” Hades scoffed. “Who would want to give this up? This is paradise.”

“We would,” Perseus challenged. “It’s who we’re supposed to be. Who we were born to be.” Zeus took a threatening step forward with rage in his eyes.

“I was a fool to think you both worthy,” he breathed, shaking his head. “I never should have gifted you this life. Maybe I should send you back.”

“You’d really give them what they want?” Hades interjected. “That doesn’t seem like you, brother.” The king turned to his brother and glared at him until Hades raised his hands in defeat and stepped back. Zeus turned his gaze on Hephaestus and nodded. 

“Take him.”

Hephaestus moved forward quickly and seized Perseus by the arm, dragging him away from his wife.

“No!” she screamed, trying desperately to cling to him. “Don’t hurt him!” She tried to rush forward, but Zeus grabbed her by the arm and pulled her back.

“You don’t order me, little one. I am Zeus.” The pair of them struggled against their captors futilely as the gods chuckled. 

“Your Majesty, please,” Aphrodite begged from the background. 

“When I want your opinion, I’ll ask for it,” Zeus snapped before turning back to Andromeda and leaning in close to whisper in her ear. “We might be able to work something out between us, my dear. If you’re willing to do what it takes to save yourself.” His eyes raked over her body, causing her to recoil in disgust. 

“I knew that’s what this was about,” she said, pulling her arm free from his grip. “I will never be yours. Perseus and I are made for each other and nothing you can do will come between us.” Lightning and thunder cut the air again, causing even Hades to jump at the sound. Zeus glared down at her, causing Andromeda to shrink back in fear. 

“We’ll see about that,” he said coldly. He seized her by the waist and dragged her forward. His other hand came down on her forehead. A bright, golden aura enveloped her as Perseus screamed for Zeus to stop. The king ignored him and kept his grip tight on her as the golden glow began to ebb. It drained away from her, and with every second that passed, she felt herself growing weaker and weaker. Her vision blurred and Perseus’ screams faded, almost like someone had stuffed cotton in her ears. Zeus sneered down at her as the last bits of her golden aura disappeared and leaned in close. 

“You wanted to be mortal, so now you are,” he whispered, grabbing her arm tight and spinning her to face Perseus. For the first time in as long as she could remember, Andromeda felt pain when Zeus grabbed her. She looked over at her husband with tears streaming down her face. Zeus kept his tight hold on her as he addressed them both.

“You will live out your life as a mortal. You will age and you will die, all without the favor of the gods. When you die, you will spend eternity in Hades, never crossing into the Elysian Fields.” He leaned in and whispered in her ear. “I will put realms between you and your love, you ignorant child.

As Zeus spoke, Andromeda wept. She tried to keep her eyes on Perseus, but something had changed. He had a brilliant glow about him that made it difficult to focus on him. She heard him calling to her and forced herself to keep her eyes on him. 

“Andromeda, listen to me,” he begged. “I swear I will find you. I’ll do whatever it takes to get back to you.”

“How touching,” Hades teased. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep her nice and warm once she gets to me.” Perseus ignored his taunts and kept his eyes on her.

“Look to the stars, Andromeda,” he continued, still struggling to free himself. “Look at our constellations beside each other and know that even though you can’t see me I’m with you. My dream girl.”

“My hero,” she sobbed. Beside her, she could almost feel waves of fury rolling off of Zeus. He tightened his grip on her arm before throwing her roughly to the ground. He turned and walked a few steps to where the waterfall cascaded over the edge of the mountain. He raised his hands high and muttered to himself. As he did, a few of the stars overhead began to glow brighter. Andromeda realized a second too late that the glowing stars were her and Perseus’ constellations. 

“Stop! Please!”

The king didn’t even flinch at her desperate plea. He smirked to himself and quickly pulled his hands apart. As his arms opened, the stars flew to opposite ends of the sky, so far away they couldn’t even be seen. He turned back around and arched an eyebrow at them. 

“You were saying?”

“It doesn’t matter,” Perseus said, staring him down. “Even you can’t keep us apart.” Zeus hauled the still sobbing Andromeda to her feet and dragged her in front of her husband. 

“Any last words?” he asked. 

“I’ll find you,” Perseus promised. “I love you, Andromeda.”

“I love you too, Perseus,” she said, crying out for him as Zeus dragged her over to the edge and brought her face to face with him.

“Enjoy the mortal coil, Y/N.”

The last thing she heard was Perseus screaming her name as Zeus picked her up and threw her over the edge, sending her tumbling toward Earth. 


	3. Chapter 3

_Dark grey clouds painted the sky as Perseus made his way back home. Gloomy weather was hardly the welcome he’d hoped for, but after a weeks-long battle with Medusa, which he’d won, just being home was good enough. He held the Gorgon’s head by the limp, dead snakes that served as her hair as he turned to move through the woods, taking the shortcut that would lead him home. His feet followed the familiar path through the trees, and he smiled as he recognized more and more landmarks that signaled his journey’s end. A flash of movement from up ahead caught his eye and he ducked quickly behind the nearest tree. Readying his sword, he peeked around the trunk, gasping at what he saw._

_There was a small meadow a few yards ahead, surrounded by trees and dotted with white flowers, and in the center was the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. She was dancing slowly, her arms above her head and her eyes closed. The moment he saw her it was as if every cloud in the sky vanished and the sun’s rays poured down only on her. Or maybe the glow he saw was coming from within her. He couldn’t be sure but as he resheathed his sword and set the severed head on the ground, he could feel something drawing him toward her._

_He walked carefully, his steps soft and silent and his eyes never leaving her until he was close enough to see the way the hem of her dress brushed against her bare feet. She was humming a tune he didn’t recognize as she danced, and her head was tilted up toward the sky. Perseus took another step that landed directly onto a twig, snapping it loudly. That snap broke the both of them from their trances. Her eyes flew open, wide with fear as she whipped around to find an equally frightened-looking Perseus staring back at her._

_“How long have you been watching me like that?” she asked and Perseus’ heart swelled at the sound of her voice._

_“I’m not sure,” he answered honestly. “The second I saw you Chronos stopped time to allow me to truly appreciate your beauty.” Her cheeks burned furiously at his words and she looked down, smiling softly._

_“I-I should go,” she mumbled, almost too quietly for him to hear. “My mother will be expecting me.” She looked back up and smiled at Perseus as she turned to leave. Panic shot through him as she started to walk away, and he quickly took another step forward._

_“Wait!” he called, reaching out for her. “What’s your name?” She turned back over her shoulder and looked him over once before answering._

_“I’m Andromeda.”_

_“Perseus.”_

_“Like the hero?” she asked, her smile widening slightly. Perseus stood a little taller and puffed out his chest a bit at her recognition._

_“One and the same,” he replied proudly. Andromeda giggled at his change in stature and bit her lip gently._

_“I hope our paths cross again, Perseus,” she said, turning once again to go._

_“Will you be here tomorrow?” he asked almost desperately._

_“I’m here every day,” she answered._

_“Then they most certainly will, Andromeda,” he replied confidently._

_“You’re that sure you can find me?”_

_“I wouldn’t let anything keep me from finding you.”_

_~_

Harsh wind and snow lashed at Andromeda’s face as she came to. She shivered and dragged herself to her feet, looking around in a futile attempt to get her bearings. There was nothing. Barren white snowfields stretched as far as the eye could see in every direction. The memory of what had happened started to come back, shattering her heart all over again. She was mortal, stuck on Earth, and alone. She wrapped her frozen arms around herself and rubbed quickly, looking up to the sky. The stars were just barely visible through the flying snow, but somehow, she was able to find Polaris. She followed the north star, trudging through the knee-deep snow, on her way to who knows where. 

The sun rose and fell three times before Andromeda found any type of civilization. She sustained herself on melted snow and the stubborn determination to not let Zeus win. Eventually, she found a small town, maybe a dozen or so houses in all, tucked into the side of a mountain. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. She mustered up the last ounces of strength she had to knock on the first door she found, then collapsed onto the steps. She clung to consciousness just long enough to see the door open and the light from inside pour out.

Warmth. It felt almost strange to feel warm after so long in the cold. A thick blanket was wrapped around her where she lay on the soft bed and Andromeda could barely make out a pair of voices as she fought to pull herself from sleep.

“Are you sure bringing her here was a good idea?” a woman’s voice asked.

“She was dying,” a man answered. “We had to.” Andromeda forced her eyes open and looked over at them. 

“W-where am I?” she managed to mumble, causing them both to turn toward her.

“Siberia,” the woman replied, walking over and kneeling next to the bed. “Drink this.” A cup was brought to her lips and Andromeda choked down the thick liquid that was tipped into her mouth.

“Is that on Earth?” she asked.

“Oh, yeah, she’s messed up,” the man remarked.

“Peter, shut up and stoke the fire. She’s freezing.” The woman turned to glare at her companion until he crossed the room to the crackling fire. Andromeda lifted her head slightly, trying to get a look at him.

“P-Peter?” she asked hopefully. She allowed herself to feel a small sense of hope that she might find Perseus, using his Earthbound persona, had somehow managed to find her. Her hope was quickly dashed when her eyes landed on a stranger.

“That’s me,” he replied with a smug smile. “Peter Quill. That’s my wife, Gamora. I’d do whatever she tells you to. Trust me, it’s easier.”

“Most people do listen to me,” his wife replied. “You’re just an idiot.” She lifted the cup to Andromeda’s lips again and forced more of the thick liquid into her mouth.

“What happened?” Andromeda asked. “How did I get here?”

“We found you passed out on the front steps,” Gamora said. “We thought you were dead. Any longer out there and you would have been.”

“How did you get all the way out here?” Peter asked, astonished. Andromeda looked around the small home for a second, taking a deep, shaky breath.

“Zeus,” she answered simply.

Peter and Gamora exchanged a quizzical look before Gamora went back to caring for her.

“What’s your name?” Gamora asked softly. Andromeda watched as Peter turned around to add more wood to the fire and answered as her eyes slipped closed again. 

“Y/N.”

For the next week, the husband and wife spent their time nursing Y/N back to health. Gamora fed her elixirs made from berries Y/N had never heard of, and Peter kept the fire stoked and the room warm. When he wasn’t working, he told her stories about what he and Gamora did before settling in this remote area. He kept the details vague, but Y/N was able to figure out it wasn’t anything technically legal. The two of them took turns aiding her weakened body until she was strong enough to get out of bed. As soon as she felt good enough, she asked the question that had been on her mind since she regained consciousness. 

“How do I get to Greece?” she asked during dinner one night. Peter and Gamora both looked up from their plates with matching furrowed brows. 

“Ummm…,” Peter started. “You pay a lot of money for a very long flight?”

“What if you don’t have a lot of money?” Y/N asked. 

“What’s in Greece?” Gamora replied, refilling their water glasses.

“Hopefully my family,” Y/N said. “Or what’s left of them anyway.” Her hosts continued to eye her skeptically as she picked at her food, suddenly no longer hungry.

“Y/N, are you sure?” Peter asked. “That’s a long way to go for hopefully.”

“You’re welcome here as long as you need,” Gamora urged, reaching for her hand. Y/N took it and squeezed gently. 

“I know,” she said. “And I’m so grateful to you both for everything you’ve done. But I have to do this. I have to find my way home.”

And that was that. The next day Gamora dressed her in some warm clothes while Peter filled a knapsack with as much food and water as she could carry and what little money they could spare. They drove all day, mostly in silence, until they reached a towering city they called Moscow. Peter gave her a quick hug and Gamora gave her a phone, making her promise to keep in touch. They showed her how to use the map function and after some more hugs, and a few tears, the three parted ways.

The journey was long and arduous. Being mortal again meant Y/N had to deal with things she hadn’t had to in eons: hunger, fatigue, and illness. She rationed her food as best she could, stretching what Peter had given her out over two weeks. The money served her well, and she made it just over halfway to Greece before it ran out too. She got rides where she could, walked when she couldn’t, and jumped passing trains when she was feeling particularly brave. Somewhere around Moldova as she jumped onto a freight train, she felt herself coming down with some kind of bad cold. She passed out as soon as she settled in and by the time she woke up, she was nearly to Bucharest. Overall, the trip took the better part of a month, and by the time she stumbled her way into Athens, she was exhausted, filthy, and hungry. Part of her was tempted to find a safe space, maybe the meadow she used to dance in if it was still there, and sleep for several days, but she couldn’t stop now. Limping, she made her way through the streets of Athens to the first temple she found: Apollo. She knelt at the foot of his statue, folded her hands together, and prayed. 

“Apollo,” she mumbled softly. “I know you can hear me. I need your help. Please, talk to Zeus. Make him see reason. He has to know he overreacted when he sent me here. Please, please, Apollo. I need to be with Perseus. Please help me.” Tears streamed down her dirty face as she opened her eyes and looked up. The statue before her was meant to be Apollo, but it didn’t look anything like him. Time had worn the features of his face down and chipped away the ears from his head, but that wasn’t the problem. His face looked cold and unwelcoming, nothing like the sun god she’d befriended. 

“Please,” she begged again, already knowing he wouldn’t answer. Zeus had surely ordered all of them to turn a deaf ear to her prayers by now. He’d had the time, and obviously the power, and she had nothing. Slowly, she pushed herself to her feet and made her way to the next temple: Poseidon.

And she prayed. She prayed in every temple to every god: Poseidon, Hermes, Apollo, Aphrodite, Athena. Every day for an entire year, she dragged herself from temple to temple, begging her old friends for help. The people of the town became fascinated with her and started calling her το κορίτσι που προσεύχεται: the girl who prays. They often brought her food while she prayed and offered shelter when the weather turned. They whispered to each other about her, remarking how her path never altered. She prayed at every temple in the city and to every god there was, save for one. Despite her apparent determination to reach the gods, she never set foot in the temple of Zeus. 

Every day for a year she prayed to the gods, and every night she prayed to Perseus. She wasn’t sure if he could even hear her given that he wasn't actually a god, but it gave her a sense that he was with her somehow. On the one-year anniversary of her arrival in Athens, Y/N awoke with a strength she hadn’t felt since before her fall from Olympus. She walked through the streets like she always did, but changed her route at the last minute. The whispers started immediately when the townspeople realized where she was going. She forced herself to keep her eyes ahead as the temple of Zeus came into view. With steeled nerves, she marched forward until she stood before the towering statue of the king of the gods. She stayed on her feet, refusing to kneel to him as she spoke. 

“I know you can hear me,” she hissed under her breath. “You’ve heard me every day and you’ve told the others not to answer me. I’ve been brave. I’ve been strong. I’ve held out hope for a year that maybe somehow, someone might take pity and answer me. But I’m tired and I’m cold and I’m lonely. I miss my home. I miss my family. I miss Olympus.” She wasn’t sure when she started crying but tears were running down her cheeks. With a shuddering breath, she wiped them away, never taking her eyes off Zeus.

“But a thousand mortal lives and deaths are more bearable to me than spending one more second under your tyranny. I don’t care how long it takes or how much more I have to sacrifice, I will find my way back to Perseus, and together we will take Olympus from you. The immortals have lived in fear of you for long enough. I won’t let it continue. That’s a promise.”

Thunder and lightning ripped through the sky as Y/N turned on her heel and left the temple. Stones fell from high pillars as more thunder crackled and boomed, but she didn’t flinch. Had she looked back she would have seen the faintest hint of electricity in the statue’s eyes, letting her know that Zeus was indeed watching her.

He watched her through the eyes of his statue from the throne room in Olympus, rage flaring in him with her every word. Bolts of lightning struck around her but she never so much as batted an eye. Eventually, he blinked and turned his head, the image fading from his eyes. He could kill her easily, of course, but a swift death was too good for her. Such treason and defiance needed to be dealt with in kind. His fury still gnawed at him as Zeus stomped out of the throne room and down to the dungeon. Ares was on guard duty, her red curls falling in her eyes as she looked up, surprised by the king’s sudden arrival. 

“Your Majesty,” she greeted, nodding slightly. Zeus said nothing to the god of war, but took a cell key and marched to the end of the room. There, in the smallest, strongest cell, lay Perseus. He was crumpled on the floor, every inch of him covered in cuts and bruises in various stages of healing. His left eye was swollen almost completely shut and dried blood clung to his lips from where he’d coughed it up the night before. The iron of the cell door creaked as Zeus tugged it open and Perseus mustered what little strength he had left to drag himself as far away as he could. Zeus watched him and chuckled softly.

“It’s that last bit of hope you continue to cling to that really makes this so much fun.” Perseus whimpered softly as he dragged himself back further, until a swift kick from Zeus connected to his ribs. He groaned and collapsed on the floor, holding his side.

“P-Please,” he begged, earning another dark chuckle from the king.

“Beg all you want,” Zeus said, kicking him harshly again as his eyes darkened in anger. “You have your wife to thank for this. She still hasn’t seemed to have learned not to test me. So, let’s have some fun, shall we?”

~

Y/N sat at her favorite cafe, sipping at her latte and flipping through the pages of her book. New York was as busy as ever, but something about the speed at which the city moved was almost calming to her. It had been five years since she’d walked out of Zeus’ temple and left Greece, hopping the first ocean liner she could. A week later she docked in New York, a place she and Perseus had always felt at home in. It took her a bit to find her footing, moving between tent cities and then to a women’s shelter, but eventually, she found a job working for a neurologist. Dr. Stephen Strange was...well, strange, but his study on dreams was well-funded which meant it was well paying. From the job came an apartment, and before she knew it, half a decade had passed. 

In her free time, she read. She read every book in every library she could find about Greek mythology. They littered the surfaces in her apartment, always open to random pages, and filled with highlight marks and sticky notes. There were stories of the feats of heroes, those who had journeyed to Olympus from Earth, and others who claimed to have made weapons strong enough to kill the gods. She took in all the information she could, trying desperately to find a way back to the mountain. 

During the day she worked, in the evening she read, and at night, she prayed. She didn’t pray to the gods anymore, convinced they would never answer, but rather to Perseus. There was still no indication he could hear her, but she kept up anyway, hoping he could. She told him about her days, the people she met, and ended every prayer the same way. 

“I love you, my hero.”

The cafe Y/N sat in now was the same one she and Peter had frequented in Queens. It was quiet, as far as New York was concerned, and served the best chai lattes in the entire borough. As she flipped the page of her book, a collection of tales of the heroes of Greece, she became aware of someone taking the seat opposite her.

“I’m sorry this table is-” she started to sigh, but stopped abruptly when she looked up to see an all too familiar pair of green eyes looking back. 

“D-Dite?”

“It’s Felicia again, but yeah.”

Without thinking, Y/N jumped up and ran to her friend, throwing her arms around her.

“Oh my gods!” Y/N exclaimed, hugging her tight. “I can’t believe you’re here! How did you find me?”

“Well, it wasn’t easy,” Felicia replied as they sat back down. “You cover your tracks really well.” Y/N chuckled in disbelief and shook her head. 

“How are you here?” she asked softly. “I thought it was banned.” Felicia’s face fell slightly and she leaned forward, her elbows on the table.

“Ze- Steve sent me,” she said quietly. Y/N froze as her heart sped up in her chest. The excitement of seeing her old friend after so long faded and the memory of her expulsion from Olympus came flooding back. She should have known better than to think this was some stroke of good luck. Of course Zeus was behind this.

“And what does _Steve_ want?” she asked, folding her arms in front of her chest. “Hasn’t he taken enough from me?”

“Y/N come on,” Felicia pleaded.

“Why, Felicia?” she snapped, glaring at her friend. “Why did you tell him we were leaving? Peter and I trusted you.”

“I didn’t have a choice,” the goddess started, her face flushing.

“Bullshit,” Y/N interrupted. “You had a choice and you made it, and you damned me and Peter when you did.”

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.”

“Don’t I?”

“No, you don’t!” Felicia yelled, causing several people around them to look up in surprise. Both girls shrunk slightly in embarrassment and waved apologetically. When Y/N spoke again, her voice was much softer.

“Dite, what did he do to you?” she asked gently. Felicia’s emerald eyes welled with tears as she played with the edge of the tablecloth. 

“I spurned his advances once too,” she said quietly. “Eons ago. He was already married to Hera, but we all know that’s never stopped him. He tried to get me to be with him but I told him I didn’t want to be tied down. Goddess of love needs to roam, ya know? That only pissed him off and he forced me to marry Heph-Scott.”

“I don’t understand,” Y/N said, her brow furrowed. “If he wanted you then why would he make you marry Scott? What good does that do him?”

“Prima Nocta,” Felicia whispered. Y/N gasped and clapped her hands over her mouth. Her stomach dropped as Felicia looked down at her hands, tearing one of the paper napkins into tiny pieces. Slowly, she reached out and took the goddess’s hand in hers, squeezing gently. Y/N knew Zeus was capable of awful things, but she never thought he’d stoop so low. Suddenly, Felicia’s compliance with the king made sense. Fear governed her, and as much as Y/N wanted to stay mad at her, she couldn’t. 

“I’m so sorry, Y/N,” Felicia continued before she could say anything. “I didn’t know this would happen. I never should have told him and I never should have lied to you. I’m so, so sorry.”

“Wait, when did you lie to me?” Y/N asked, surprised. Felicia took a shaky breath and brushed away the tears that were spilling from her eyes. Behind them, the bell on the door chimed and a cold rush of air swirled around them.

“He made me say it,” Felicia blubbered. “I knew it was a lie, but he made me. He thought it might be enough to keep you and Peter apart.”

“Felicia for the love-”

“You are soul mates,” she said abruptly with more tears in her eyes. “I bound your souls myself.” Neither of them moved or spoke for a moment. Y/N kept her hand in Felica’s as she worked to process what she’d been told. Even though she already believed that she and Peter were soul mates, having it confirmed by Aphrodite herself made it that much more concrete. Her mind raced as she struggled to put all the pieces she’d just been given together. Felicia and the king, her and Perseus, it was all intertwined, and more complex than she’d ever imagined. Y/N remembered with a jolt that Felicia had been sent here and pulled back, letting go of her hand.

“Why are you here, Felicia?”

“I think I’ll take it from here,” a man’s voice cut in. They both jumped and looked up in shock as Zeus towered above them. He looked nothing like Y/N remembered. His hair had grown out and he wore a beard now, and though his eyes had never been particularly kind, the blue of them had turned to ice in her absence. 

“I think you’ve said quite enough already, don’t you?” he asked menacingly. “You may go.” Felicia tossed her friend an apologetic look before stumbling from her chair and rushing out of the cafe. Zeus filled her now vacant seat, leaning back and crossing his leg over his knee. He looked over Y/N with a hungry expression that sent a shiver down her spine as she stared back at him.

“You look good,” he said finally, smirking. 

“What do you want, Steve?” she demanded. He chuckled darkly and grabbed her latte, taking a long sip.

“Earth has hardened you. I like it. I’m here because I have a proposition for you.” When she said nothing, he continued. “I will allow you to return to Olympus and restore your immortality on one condition; that you are mine and mine alone. Peter will take your place as a mortal and live out his life here. You will never see or speak to each other again.” Rather than the shock she was sure Steve expected her to feel, Y/N found herself laughing in the king’s face almost immediately, an action that did not go over well.

“You can’t be serious,” she laughed, her brows folded together.

“Deadly,” Steve replied. “And this is a one-time offer.”

“Well, you can take your one-time offer and shove it where Apollo can’t ride,” Y/N shot back. “I meant what I said. I will find my own way back to Peter and we will take Olympus from you.” She watched as Steve’s jaw clenched and rage lined his face. He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward, pushing her cup out of the way.

“You know,” he said, quiet enough that only she could hear. “I could kill you with a snap of my fingers, and there isn’t a thing anyone here could do to stop it.” Y/N kept her eyes on his as she leaned in to match his pose, getting inches from his face.

“So, do it,” she challenged. Steve’s eyes widened slightly, but other than that he didn’t react to her bold statement. They stared heatedly at each other for a moment before she smirked and spoke again.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought. See you around, Stevie.” Y/N pushed her chair back and stood, and was reaching for her bag when Steve spoke again. 

“He calls for you,” he said, causing her to freeze in place. “Peter. The day I tossed your miserable ass from my kingdom I locked him in my strongest cell, and every time I go pay him a visit it doesn’t take long before he’s crying your name.” The corner of his mouth twitched as Y/N gripped the edge of the table, clearly getting the response he wanted this time. 

“You can stop it,” Steve said, leaning back in his chair once again. “All his pain, all his suffering. You have the power to make it stop. Just say yes.”

The ache that filled Y/N’s heart as learning the fate her love had been cursed to was almost enough for her to accept Steve’s terms. Saving him would kill her, but she wasn’t sure she could live with herself if she left him there. Her eyes lifted from the ground to meet the king’s, and just as she opened her mouth to say yes, she heard him.

“Don’t.”

Y/N gasped as the sound of his voice, and she could tell by the look on Steve’s face that he’d heard it too. Hearing Perseus, so clear it was like he was standing beside her again, gave her the strength she needed to pick up her bag and walk from the table.

“My offer expires when you walk out the door!” Steve called, but Y/N’s steps never faltered as she marched from the cafe. 


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Finale

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who came along for the ride with me! I loved writing this story so much.

The thunder of Zeus’ rage echoed throughout the whole of Olympus as he stormed through the gates, not even bothering with the formality of stopping to greet Athena, who sat befuddled at the desk. Zeus stomped past him and through the crumbling streets that composed what was left of Olympus.

In the five years since Y/N had left Zeus’ temple in Greece, Olympus had felt the brunt of his rage. When he wasn’t destroying random buildings with bolts of lightning, he was terrorizing the citizens, keeping them living in a constant state of fear. Nearly every home had holes or scorch marks from lightning blasts. Stones randomly crumbled from the palace walls. Perseus and Andromeda’s old home had been burnt to cinders years ago. Olympus had fallen into uncontrolled chaos and the residents couldn’t remember the last time they had seen a clear and cloudless sky. The only thing in the entire kingdom that had been spared Zeus’ wrath was the oak tree in the center of the palace grounds.

The king continued through the grounds and into the palace where he was greeted by a frazzled and anxious-looking Hermes. 

“Your Majesty,” Hermes greeted with a bow. “How did it go?”

“How do you think it went?” Zeus snapped, pushing past him toward the stairs. Hermes recognized the path he was taking and blanched in fear.

“M-my liege,” he stammered. “Perhaps a reprieve for the prisoner is in order?” Zeus stopped in his tracks, turning slowly back to Hermes with murder and lightning in his eyes.

“You dare to give me orders?” he hissed through his teeth.

“N-no! Of course not, Your Majesty,” Hermes faltered. “But my job is to advise, and as your advisor I feel I must remind you that Perseus is weak. Your current rage is palpable, and I fear he may not survive it. If he dies, you’ll have lost your only bargaining chip.” Both gods were quiet for several moments while Zeus considered his words. Hermes waited with bated breath, flinching each time the thunder rolled outside.

“About time you proved yourself useful,” the king said finally, causing Hermes to let out the breath he’d been holding. “I’ll leave him be for now. He’s more useful to me alive anyway. This visit to Earth was just the first. Andromeda is bound to break sooner or later.” Without another word, Zeus turned and left the hall. Hermes waited until he rounded the corner before turning and making for his own chambers.

Over the centuries, Hermes had made it a habit to collect things from the other immortals. Some of them were sentimental, others more practical, but all of them served a purpose. As he closed his chamber door quietly behind him, Hermes hoped the one he was looking for would be powerful enough to help. He made his way across the room to a trunk he kept at the foot of his bed. It creaked when he opened it and he froze in place, eyes darting around the room. When he was sure he was alone he opened it the rest of the way and looked over the collection inside; a pair of rose-colored glasses from Aphrodite, a small plant gifted to him by Demeter, and a Cerberus fang he had taken on a trip to the Underworld. Hermes dug through the trunk until he found the relic he was looking for and eventually lifted out a small, clay jar. Apollo had promised him eons ago that the contents of this jar could heal any injury.

“You better be right,” he murmured to himself as he tucked the jar into a small bag he kept at the end of the bed. He was about to close the trunk when Hermes noticed something at the bottom. The sword had been sitting there for so long he had forgotten about it until this moment when he picked it up and let the dust fall from the blade. More resolved than ever he stood and shut the trunk, stowing the sword beneath his cloak and walking to his window. His staff rested against the sill and Hermes lifted it to his eyes.

“It’s time,” he whispered against it. “Meet me at the gate in fifteen minutes.” He thudded the staff against the ground once and four separate golden feathers flew through the sky. Not waiting to see where they ended up, Hermes turned and left the chamber.

As he made his way through the ruined castle, Hermes felt like a stranger in the only home he’d ever known. The path he traveled was familiar to him, but the walls surrounding it felt almost alien after all they’d been through. He descended the steps into the dungeon slowly, cursing under his breath when he saw Hephaestus on guard duty.

“Hermes?” the smith asked, his voice echoing off the stone walls. “What are you doing down here?” Hermes swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat before he spoke.

“You know why I’m here, Hephaestus,” he replied softly. The color drained from his companion’s face and he started shaking his head quickly.

“Look, man,” Hephaestus protested. “I like you, and I know you like the kid and all, but I can’t let you do this. You’re talking about treason.”

“I’m talking about much more than that,” Hermes cut in. “You’ve seen what’s happened to our home since she left. If it continues, I don’t know how much longer we’ll have a home left. This isn’t just about reuniting long-lost lovers, Heph. This is about saving Olympus.” The two gods stared at each other for some time without moving or speaking. Eventually, Hephaestus dropped his gaze to the floor, sighing heavily.

“You’re right,” he said softly. “But Zeus is our king. We can’t go against him.”

“We can if we win,” Hermes replied. “And I know how we can.”

“Enlighten me,” Hephaestus said, looking up from the ground. Hermes pulled back his cloak, producing the sword he’d found in his trunk.

“Take this,” he said, handing over the blade. “Perseus can wield it, but it needs something more to defeat a god.”

“I think I have an idea,” Hephaestus said with a smirk, taking the sword and turning it over in his hands. “Man, I missed this sword.”

“Reminisce later. Work now.” Hermes put his cloak back into place and held out his hand. “Keys?” Hephaestus nodded and took the keys from the hook on the wall and handed them over.

“What do I do if I get caught?” he asked, finally tearing his eyes from the sword.

“Hope Elysium is waiting for you,” Hermes replied, striding past him into the dungeon. He made his way to the end where he found the strongest of the cells. There, huddled in the corner, was a bruised and beaten Perseus.

“Oh, gods,” Hermes gasped, opening the cell as quickly as he could. When the iron of the bars creaked, Perseus flinched and began to drag himself away from the door.

“N-no,” he whimpered, desperately trying to get away. “Please, no.” Pain gripped Hermes at the sound of utter defeat in Perseus’ voice and he crouched down slowly and held his hand out.

“Perseus,” he said in the softest voice he could muster. “It’s ok. It’s me.” The broken boy raised his head and looked up at the god through swollen eyes.

“H-Hermes?” he asked, confusion and the slightest hint of relief coloring his voice. “Is it really you?” He struggled to sit up and Hermes quickly leaned in to help, propping him up against the wall.

“It’s really me,” he answered. “I’m here to get you out.” Perseus chuckled weakly and closed his eyes again.

“Hope you brought help,” he groaned. “In case you can’t tell I’m more than slightly incapacitated.”

“Lucky for both of us I did then.” Hermes took the bag from his shoulder and reached inside, pulling out Apollo’s jar. He took a generous scoop in his hand and rubbed it gently over the wounds on Perseus’ face. He watched as the ointment began to glow softly. It bathed Perseus’ face in a warm, golden light, and when it faded his wounds had vanished. Perseus brought his hands up to gingerly touch his face, his eyes widening in surprise when he found them all repaired.

“Woah,” he breathed as he looked up at Hermes. “Thank you.”

“Thank me once we’ve got you off Olympus,” Hermes muttered, working the ointment over the remaining wounds.

“Yeah, what’s the plan on that?”

“Don’t worry,” Hermes said with a small smirk. “It’s all taken care of. We’re getting you somewhere safe.”

Y/N woke up late the next day, stretching out in her bed as the sun poured through her windows. For a moment, she thought maybe the confrontation with Zeus had been nothing but a bad dream, but a message chiming on her phone swiftly reminded her.

_Dr. Strange: When you come back on Monday we’re reviewing the Rhodes case. Files will be on your desk. Enjoy your day off._

Chuckling softly, she put her phone back on the nightstand. Even on a personal day, the doc had work for her to attend to. The small smile on her face faded as the memory of her altercation with the king came flooding back. She’d called the doctor last night after leaving the café, letting him know she’d be taking a personal day today. He didn’t ask for details and she didn’t give them, just thanked him for understanding. Her sadness over the entire encounter quickly faded into anger, which burned into a renewed sense of hope. Hearing Perseus, as clear as if he’d been standing right beside her, reignited a fire inside her. She didn’t know how she knew, but she knew that he’d been hearing her all along. Every prayer she’d whispered had made its way to him and somehow, he’d managed to get one to her. With that knowledge inspiring a confidence she hadn’t felt since she’d fallen from Olympus, Y/N got out of bed and headed to the living room. Books towered on her coffee and end tables, and just as she was about to dive back into them, she heard a knock at her door.

“Oh, by the gods,” she groaned, standing back up. The person on the other side of the door kept incessantly knocking as Y/N made her way to the door, yanking it open roughly. She was prepared to tell whoever it was off but was caught by surprise when she saw Hermes looking back at her. He wore a crisp suit, similar to the ones he donned as his alter ego Tony Stark, and smiled softly at her. Neither of them spoke and Y/N allowed herself to fill with elation at the sight of her old friend. Her happiness was quickly replaced by anger when she deduced the most likely reason for his visit.

“Tell your king he can shove his offer up his ass,” she snapped, folding her arms in front of her chest.

“Well, hello to you too,” he chuckled. “Sorry to disappoint but my king doesn’t know I’m here.”

“Why do I find that hard to believe?” she asked coolly, glaring at him.

“Honestly, I don’t care what you believe,” Hermes said, leaning against the door frame. “I came here to bring you something. Call it a peace offering.” Y/N arched an eyebrow and looked him over.

“What kind of offering?” she asked skeptically.

“Turn around and find out.”

The voice. Was it in her head again? Every time she’d let herself feel hope over the last five years it had been snuffed out by crushing disappointment, and she knew if she let herself believe Perseus was really behind her and he wasn’t, she would crumble. She looked up at Hermes with tears already in her eyes, but the god said nothing. All he did was nod over her shoulder, smirking softly. Slowly, she turned around.

It felt like a dream. There, in the center of her living room, bathed in bright sunlight, stood Perseus. He wore a simple t-shirt and jeans, just like he always had when he was Peter, and flashed Y/N a wide, toothy smile. Every cell in her body wanted to run to him, but shock kept her rooted to the spot. Perseus kept smiling at her as his eyes traveled up and down.

“Hey, dream girl,” he said softly, his voice thick. That was all it took. With a sob, Y/N launched herself across the room and into his arms. He grabbed her tight and wrapped his arms around her, holding her close and kissing her temple softly.

“I told you I’d never let anything keep me from finding you.” Y/N pulled back to cup his face with tears streaming down her own.

“I never doubted you for a second,” she said with a smile. Chuckling softly, Perseus leaned in and pressed his lips to hers. She kissed him back slowly and wound her arms around him. While their lips were connected, as far as they were concerned, they were the only two people in the world. Hermes shifted in his spot and after several minutes, cleared his throat.

“As touching as this reunion is,” he said sternly. “We do have some slightly pressing matters to attend to.” They finally broke apart and Y/N turned around, stunned at what, or rather who, she saw. Walking past Hermes and into her living room were Artemis, Apollo, Demeter, and Ares. Her mouth fell open as they came to her one-by-one and wrapped her in long-overdue embraces. More tears fell from her eyes and she took turns hugging them all, finally turning back to Perseus and taking his hand.

“I-I don’t understand,” she stammered, “How did you all get here?”

“Sadly, without any kind of fight,” Ares said, sitting on the back of the couch.

“Why is that sad?” Apollo asked, bewildered.

“I haven’t had a good battle in eons,” the goddess of war answered. “I’m getting all itchy.”

“I might be able to help you with that,” Y/N said abruptly. Everyone looked at her with varying expressions of concern on their faces.

“Drom, who are you planning on going to war with?” Perseus asked.

“Zeus,” she replied without hesitation. Hermes sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose as Artemis shook her head.

“That’s not the plan here, babes,” she said, rubbing Y/N’s arm gently. “You’re mortal now. You can’t fight this fight.”

“This was a rescue mission,” Demeter said. “Step one was getting Perseus out. Step two is getting you somewhere off of Zeus’ radar so we can go back and take him out.”

“They’re right,” Perseus said, squeezing her hand. “It’s too dangerous for you.”

“If any of you think for one second that you’re going to hide me away in some shoebox while you go fight the king of the gods you’ve gone completely insane,” she said, turning to her husband. “All of this happened because of me. Everything he’s done, everything he’s planning, it’s my fault. Do you really think there’s anywhere I’ll be safe from him? The only place I’m really safe is with you guys. And I want my shot at him.”

“She’s right,” Hermes said abruptly, earning a chuckle from Ares.

“Not something I thought I’d ever hear from you,” she smirked. Hermes shot her a look so severe it made even Ares falter before he turned back to Y/N.

“Ever since you told Zeus off in that temple in Greece, things on Olympus have been horrific,” he explained. “He’s gotten more volatile, more unpredictable, and more vicious with every passing day. Our home is in ruins all for his overinflated ego, and that ego means he won’t let you out of his reach for even a second. The last thing he’ll expect is for us to bring you to him. Are you prepared for this?” Y/N felt Perseus squeeze her hand again and she looked back at him and nodded softly, knowing in her gut what she had to do. Perseus stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her again, placing a soft kiss to her forehead. He held him tight and closed her eyes, willing herself to take in just this moment in his arms. Y/N knew that once they did this nothing would be the same, be it good or bad. Perseus seemed to sense it too and held her close until Apollo spoke.

“Not to ruin a beautifully half-baked plan,” he said, perching himself on the windowsill. “But how do we intend to pull this off? He’s…well he’s Zeus. It’s not like I can just put an arrow through his eye and call it a day.”

“I have something that can help,” came a voice from the doorway. Everyone looked up to see Hephaestus leaning against the doorframe. Perseus tensed immediately and pulled Y/N behind him. Artemis and Apollo pulled bows from out of nowhere and took aim while Ares produced a small blade from her belt and Demeter positioned herself between Hephaestus and Perseus.

“No, it’s ok,” Hermes said, holding up a hand. “He’s on our side. Heph helped me get you out.” Y/N looked over Perseus’ shoulder as Hephaestus stepped slowly inside.

“I know I failed you both,” he said, defeat thick in his voice. “There hasn’t been a day since Zeus cast you out that I haven’t regretted my part in it. I can’t take back what I did, but I can do my best to try and make it up to you now.” He took a leather bag off his back and opened it slowly, pulling out a large sword. Perseus gasped softly and stepped toward him.

“I-Is that…?”

“Your sword,” Hephaestus finished for him, handing over the weapon. “Harpe. Hermes found it and since you managed to kill Medusa with it, we figured it might be helpful.” Perseus turned the blade over in his hands as Y/N stepped up with her brow furrowed.

“There’s something different about it,” she remarked, looking the sword over.

“I lined the edges of the blade with bark from the oak tree at Zeus’ palace,” Hephaestus said, nodding. “I don’t know if the legends about it are true, but I thought it was worth a shot.”

“They’re true,” Demeter piped up, eyeing the sword. “I grew that tree for him myself. Its bark is the only thing in all the realms that can hurt him.” Y/N looked up at Perseus, his sword still in his hand, then around the room at the other gods.

“I can’t thank you all enough for what you’ve done,” she said softly. “You’ve given me my love back. Having Perseus and seeing all of you…I can’t put it into words. This next part is going to be big. Life-altering big. If any of you want to walk away, we won’t blame you.”

“Do you really think we went through all of this just to back out now?” Hermes scoffed, shaking his head.

“Yeah, we’re not going anywhere,” Apollo agreed.

“I’m sick of watching Zeus destroy my home,” Artemis said, tightening her grip on her bow.

“No one is safe until we stop him,” Demeter said.

“Like I said,” Ares chimed in, joining her friends. “Itchy.” The group turned slowly to Hephaestus who clutched his chest gently.

“After my heartfelt speech and act of treason you still doubt me?” he asked. “Consider me officially defected.” He stepped up next to Hermes who clapped him on the shoulder and nodded softly. Perseus rubbed Y/N’s arm gently and leaned into her.

“So, what’s the play?” he asked. Turning to her cluttered end table and digging through the stack of books, Y/N finally pulled out the one she was looking for and turned to her friends.

“I found this in a bookstore last year,” she said, holding the book up. “From what I can tell it maps out all the passages the Norse gods talked about. The closest one is in New Mexico.” Hermes looked up at her with a smirk on his face.

“Shall we?”

The immortals gathered at the base of Olympus several hours later, huddled close to avoid being seen. Once they were sure the coast was clear, Hermes nodded to Apollo. The sun god stepped out and aimed his golden bow, firing an arrow across the sky. Everyone watched as it flew in a high arch, slipping behind the clouds to catch the sun and drag it down beyond the horizon.

“What happened to the chariot?” Perseus asked softly.

“Too bulky,” he answered with a shrug. Andromeda chuckled and took Perseus’ hand as they made their way up the mountain as slowly as they could. They kept to the shadows, choosing to take the longer route up the mountainside rather than risk the main staircase. At the top, the path brought them close enough to it to see Athena, nose buried in a book at the top of the stairs. One-by-one, the crept past, careful not to attract attention. Demeter was the last to join them as they passed the gate and headed toward the palace.

The grounds were deathly silent as the immortals made their way through. Perseus and Andromeda walked hand-in-hand as they crept forward, constantly looking over their shoulders. Slowly, Hermes pulled the palace doors open and ushered them inside.

“What the hell happened here?” Andromeda breathed, taking in the crumbling structure.

“Zeus happened,” Ares replied, balling her fists.

“Where is he, Hermes?” Perseus asked, still gripping Andromeda’s hand.

“Most likely in his chambers at this hour,” Hermes said. He started down the hall with the rest of the group close behind.

“What about the throne room?” Andromeda asked as they passed it.

“Not likely,” Artemis replied. “He hasn’t made much use of it since your little display in Greece. Rumor is it’s completely destroyed.” Andromeda gulped slightly and nodded, opting to stay silent. They kept on their way, tension filling the air thickly. The only sound besides their soft footsteps was the occasional roll of thunder in the distance. After what felt like ages, a pair of golden doors shone up ahead of them. Andromeda shivered involuntarily as they stopped, looking back at Perseus as he pulled Harpe from beneath his cloak.

“Are you ready?” she asked him with a shaky voice. He nodded gently and raised his eyebrows.

“Are you?” he replied.

“Not really but we’re here now,” she resigned.

“I still think it should be me,” Ares protested for the tenth time.

“And I’m done debating with you,” Perseus snapped back. “Harpe is my sword and I’m the one who killed Medusa with it. I’ll do it.” The red-headed goddess nodded and pulled a pair of daggers from her belt. Artemis and Apollo readied their bows while Demeter produced a spear from beneath her skirts. Hephaestus, armed with a hatchet, stepped forward and handed Andromeda a small blade.

“It’s not much,” he said with a slight edge of fear in his voice. “But it’s sharp enough to make someone pay attention to you.” She nodded once and turned back to her husband.

“Stay back with Hermes, and only attack if you have to,” he instructed before turning back to the others. “On my count. One…two…three!” At his count, he pulled the doors open and the group charged inside, weapons raised. Andromeda gripped her knife tight as Hermes pulled her into the room and back against the wall. The rest of the group fanned out; weapons aimed at all corners of the room. Andromeda’s eyes scanned with them and dread filled her when she realized the only other person in the room was Hera, seated at the vanity in a navy blue dressing gown, pinning her hair into curls.

“Where’s Zeus?” Perseus demanded, raising his sword. Hera remained silent, only turning around once her last curl was in place. When she spoke, she addressed Andromeda directly.

“I’ve never understood what my husband saw in gutter trash like you,” she spat. “You really are as stupid as you look.” Perseus tensed and tightened his grip on the sword, moving toward her only to be cut off by a bolt of lightning striking in the middle of the room. It flashed brightly and once it faded, Zeus stood in its place. He was accompanied by his brothers, Hades and Poseidon, as well as Persephone, Hestia, Athena, and Aphrodite.

“Now, now, my love,” Zeus said almost sweetly. “There’s no need to be so rude to our guests.”

“Says you,” Hera shot back. “I’m the one who’s had to watch you lust after this child for centuries.” Another bolt of lightning struck, this time just outside the window as Zeus’s face hardened and he turned to his wife.

“Hold your tongue or I’ll rip it out,” he threatened, waiting for Hera’s meek nod before turning back to the intruders. “Relieve these traitors of their weapons and then escort them to the throne room to receive the king’s justice.” Hades, Persephone, and Athena moved forward at his command, collecting weapons from the reluctant rebels. Andromeda managed to find Poseidon’s eyes as Athena was taking her blade and tried her best to plead with her friend without words. He looked back at her and sighed softly before breaking her gaze. Once all their weapons had been collected, Zeus’ minions rounded up the intruders and led them toward the throne room. Perseus found Andromeda and she clung to his hand as they walked, tears filling her eyes. Desperate, she looked to her left and spotted Aphrodite.

“Dite, please,” she begged, too far past terrified to care. “Please, don’t let them do this.” Aphrodite kept her eyes down as Hades stepped in front of Andromeda and slapped her across the face. Perseus managed to keep her from falling to the ground and glared up at the god.

“Keep your mouth shut until someone tells you to talk, traitor,” Hades commanded with fire in his eyes. Before Perseus could charge him, Poseidon stepped between them.

“There’s no need for that, brother,” he said, holding out his arm. Hades shoved it away and looked him over.

“When I want your opinion, _brother,_ I’ll give it to you,” Hades sneered. “If you’re not careful you’ll end up in the same spot as your friends here.”

“You forget your place, Hades,” Poseidon said, drawing himself up to his full height. “You may be king in the Underworld, but up here you’re just my brother.” Dark flames burned in Hades’ eyes and he was about to snap back when thunder crackled outside.

“Enough,” Zeus bellowed, opening the doors to the throne room. He strode inside, the others trailing behind him as he took his place on the large, marble throne. Andromeda looked around and took in the state of the room. Despite the appearance of the rest of the castle, and contrary to the rumors Artemis had heard, the throne room looked to be in pristine condition. Not a speck of dust or debris coated the floor and the throne looked like it was still being regularly polished. Zeus nodded to Hestia who smirked, flashing her red eyes to light the torches around the room. The pilfered weapons were dropped at Zeus’ feet and Perseus squeezed Andromeda’s hand as they faced the king.

“Never, in all my years on the throne, have I endured such disrespect from my subjects,” he said flatly, staring directly at Andromeda. “You sneak into my home in the dead of night with a plan to assassinate your king, and now that you stand before me you don’t even have the decency to kneel?”

“You’re no king of mine!” Andromeda yelled, glaring at him. “You don’t deserve your throne.” Gasps echoed off the walls at her outburst and louder thunder sounded outside the palace.

“And you,” he growled. “Defying my orders and returning to Olympus. This is an offense punishable by death, little one.”

“No!” Perseus screamed, lunging forward. Hades shoved him back roughly, sending him stumbling into Hermes.

“You’re the one who wanted me back in the first place!” Andromeda yelled back at him, reaching behind her for Perseus’ hand. She relaxed slightly when she felt it in hers and from the corner of her eye, she saw Poseidon turn to his brother in confusion.

“What is she talking about?” he asked.

“Nothing,” Zeus snapped at his brother, still glaring at Andromeda. “Shut your mouth.”

“You don’t command me anymore, _Steve,_ ” she hissed. “I’m not afraid of you. Yesterday, your king came to Earth and told me I could return to Olympus if I never spoke to Perseus again and I agreed to be his and his alone.”

“You went to Earth?” Hades asked, turning to look at his brother. “You didn’t tell me that.”

“Because I didn’t,” Zeus protested, growing angrier by the second.

“Yes, you did,” Aphrodite said meekly from behind him. Everyone in the hall turned to look at her. Zeus was the last to look, finally tearing his eyes from Andromeda. The thunder outside struck again, louder this time as the king glared at Aphrodite with rage in his eyes.

“Aphrodite stay out of this,” Persephone cautioned from behind Hades.

“No, Aphrodite, get involved,” Hephaestus said, taking a step toward his wife. “This has been eating at you for years. Now’s your chance to make it right.” She looked back at Hephaestus with wide eyes, watching as he nodded encouragingly. After a deep breath, Aphrodite spoke while walking forward.

“On the day Zeus banned travel to Earth, he told me to lie to Perseus and Andromeda,” she began, keeping her eyes on her husband. “He told me to tell them that they weren’t soulmates even though I bound their souls myself."

“Why would he do that?” Athena asked, removing his glasses.

“Because he wanted me,” Andromeda answered before looking back at Aphrodite. “Tell them what else.”

“Yesterday, Zeus took me with him to Earth,” Aphrodite continued. “We found Andromeda and he told me to offer her a deal; if she agreed to be with Zeus, he’d let her come back and Perseus could live out his life on Earth as Peter.” Hades and Poseidon glanced at each other and then back at Aphrodite. As she finished and held out her hand for Hephaestus, a huge bolt of lightning burst through the ceiling, striking her in the chest. The force of the blast knocked her off her feet and across the room into the wall. Hephaestus screamed in agony and ran toward her as she slid to the floor. Andromeda was right behind him, tears already pouring down her face. Hephaestus picked his wife up gently and brushed her hair out of her face as he checked her over. After a moment, he looked up at Andromeda with red-rimmed and tear-filled eyes.

“S-She’s gone,” he whispered. Andromeda let out a broken sob and clapped her hands over her mouth. She looked down at the lifeless body of her friend as the gods behind her started to argue.

“How could you?!” Hestia screamed, causing the flames of the torches to burn brighter.

“You really are a monster,” Hera breathed, backing away from him.

“I did what needed to be done,” the king said coldly. “She was lying.”

“No, she wasn’t,” Perseus challenged. “I heard it all. Andromeda prayed to me when you were there, and I heard it all. Aphrodite was telling the truth.” Slowly, the remaining gods started to realize the truth, and one-by-one began to turn on their king.

“What’s wrong with you?” Poseidon demanded. “Aphrodite was one of us. How could you do this?”

“Watch your tone,” Zeus growled. Outside, peals of thunder boomed louder and more frequently.

“You lied to all of us,” Hades accused. “Forbid us all from visiting Earth while you took little day trips and for what? A bruised ego? Some girl who rejected you?” The others joined in shortly after and soon shouts echoed from every corner of the room. During the chaos, Andromeda saw Hera and Persephone slip a back door behind the throne. As the shouts and demands for answers reached a fever-pitch, Hermes raised his hands and addressed the gods.

“Fellow Olympians,” he called out. “For five long years, we’ve watched as Zeus has laid waste to our home. He’s let his hatred and jealousy run rampant and forced us to pay the price. The time had come to end his reign of terror. Together, we can take back Olympus and return her to her former glory.” The gods cheered and began to yell again when he finished, and Hestia and Athena came to join the rebels. Through all this, Zeus still barely moved. He sat, almost as still as the marble his throne was carved from, with his eyes on Andromeda. She stared right back at him, never so much as flinching as the thunder boomed so loud the walls shook. After a minute, Poseidon stepped forward to speak to his brother.

“Zeus, it’s over,” he said softly. “Come with me.” He reached out and placed his left hand on the king’s shoulder and that seemed to be the last straw. The instant his hand connected another enormous bolt of lightning cracked through the ceiling. Rather than suffering the same fate as Aphrodite, this bolt struck the sea god on the shoulder, severing his arm from his body.

“No!” Hades cried out, running toward his injured brother. Apollo ran forward as Poseidon toppled to the floor, already pulling healing elixirs from his bag. Chaos erupted in the hall again as Artemis and Ares rearmed themselves. Smaller bolts of lightning struck around the room as the gods turned on their king. Zeus paid them no mind, but rather kept his eyes on Andromeda. She waited, holding her breath until his eyes flitted over to his injured brother. When they did, she took her chance. Lunging forward, Andromeda grabbed Harpe and ran toward the throne, raising the blade to strike. She brought it down quickly but at the last second Zeus turned and caught her by the throat. Her eyes widened as his fingers squeezed tight and she felt the sword slip from her grip.

“Let her go!” Perseus screamed. He made a move for the sword, but Zeus was ready. Rage seemed to have cleared the king’s mind and was able to anticipate the young immortal’s move. Lightning struck all around the throne, driving Perseus and the gods back. They looked on in horror at the scene before them.

“Brother, enough!” Hades yelled. “This had all gone too far. You’ve let this girl influence every decision you’ve made for centuries. Let this end and face your justice.”

“If I hear one more word from any of you, I’ll kill you all,” Zeus seethed. The remaining immortals fell silent at his threat, watching as Andromeda struggled against the king’s grip on her throat. Zeus leaned in until his face was mere centimeters from hers, so close she could see the lightning striking around the throne reflected in his eyes.

“Despite your continued insolence, I’m willing to give you one last chance,” he whispered, his breath fanning over her face. “Be mine or suffer the consequences.” His features hardened as he looked over her like his prey and Andromeda felt herself shiver. He loosened his grip by a fraction, and she clenched her jaw hard. Knowing what she was about to do would seal her fate, she said a silent farewell to Perseus, looked up at the king, and spit in his face.

“Go fuck yourself.”

The lightning blast that struck the outside of the palace made the one that had killed Aphrodite sound like a firecracker. The ceiling that had been so well cared for splintered and cracked, sending chunks of it hurtling to the ground. Zeus retightened his grip on Andromeda’s throat and stood, stepping forward. Perseus attempted to make for his sword again, but another lightning strike knocked him back.

“I’ve had enough of you, child,” he said, low enough that only she could hear. “I’ve given you every opportunity to live a comfortable life here with me, and you’ve continued to refuse me. I thought your little vacation to Earth might have made you see reason, but I can see we’re beyond that. The time for deals is done. All that’s left now is judgment.”

“Let her go!” Perseus screamed again. “End this!”

“The only question is how to punish you,” Zeus continued, ignoring Perseus’ pleas. “I could just kill you, but that would be too easy. Hermes has proven he can’t follow commands and would conspire to travel between the realms and bring you back from the Underworld. After this, maybe even with my own brother’s help. And it’s obvious Perseus will never stop fighting for you.”

“Gods, you really do love the sound of your own voice, don’t you?” Andromeda rasped in his grip. Growling deep in his chest, Zeus spun her around to face her husband.

“And you still haven’t learned it’s not wise to goad me, have you?” he hissed in her ear. “The punishment I’ve devised for you is one worse than death. Say goodbye to your husband. Tell him how much you love him.” Andromeda bit back the sobs that threatened at her throat and locked eyes with Perseus. He already had tears pouring down his face and Demeter was holding him back from being struck by the lightning.

“Andromeda,” he sobbed, struggling in Demeter’s grasp.

“I love you, Perseus,” she said, feeling the tears start to fall from her own eyes. “My hero.”

“I love you too, my dream girl,” he said, still fighting to get to her. Zeus rolled his eyes and chuckled.

“Always with the nicknames,” he said. “How touching.” He kept a firm grip on the back of Andromeda’s neck with one hand and raised the other in front of her face. Andromeda took a deep breath and kept her eyes on Perseus, readying herself for what was to come. She could vaguely register the shouts of the other immortals, but she couldn’t make out what they were saying. All she could do was watch as Zeus raised his hand and snapped.

At first, she thought Zeus had granted her the mercy of a painless death. She felt nothing and waited, watching her husband and waiting to meet her end. Then, just as she was about to turn to Zeus, something happened. Demeter gasped and let go of Perseus, looking down in terror. He stumbled away from her and fell to his knees in front of Andromeda. She tried to free herself to get to him but Zeus’ grip on her didn’t falter. Perseus looked up at her with wide eyes and tried to speak, and it was only then that she realized what was happening. Andromeda watched, frozen in fear, as her husband started to fade into dust in front of her. He tried several times to call out to her but each time nothing but small puffs of dust passed his lips.

“PERSEUS!” she screamed, fighting to get to him. Zeus dug his fingers in tighter, refusing to let go until all that remained of Perseus was a small pile of ashes on the ground. Then, and only then, did he throw her down next to them. She reached out with a shaking hand, hoping somehow this wasn’t real, but knowing as soon as she touched the soft ashes that it was. Zeus wasn’t lying when he said her punishment was worse than death. Silent sobs ripped through her as her tears pooled on the floor beneath her. Behind Zeus, Hades and Apollo had managed to help Poseidon to his feet.

“Zeus…what have you done?” a bewildered Poseidon asked. Andromeda turned her head a fraction of an inch to get a better look at him. It seemed Apollo hadn’t been able to reattach his severed arm, but Poseidon had managed to reform a new one from water. It reflected the light of the lightning outside, almost metallic looking as he challenged his brother.

“I’ve taken care of my problem,” Zeus answered with a shrug. “Now, it’s as if he never existed. Nice and simple.”

“Simple?” Hades scoffed. “This is despicable, and that’s coming from me. You’ve crossed a line here.” Zeus ignored them both and walked over to Andromeda still weeping on the floor.

“I hope this serves as a reminder to never cross me again,” he whispered in her ear. “Then again, since you’ll be spending the rest of your days in a jail cell, I suppose it doesn’t much matter.” She looked up at the king through her tears and balled her fists.

“I won’t let you get away with this,” she swore. Zeus simply chuckled and grabbed her face, kissing her firmly. She struggled against him as he held her in place, only pushing her back to the ground when he was done.

“I already have,” he mocked, turning to walk away. Andromeda laid where she fell, next to her husband’s ashes, and watched him with defeat and grief filling her chest. She closed her eyes, ready to accept her fate when something brushed against her hand. She blinked her eyes open and looked down, her eyes widening in shock. A small stream of water was flowing past her, carrying Harpe into her hand. Almost on instinct, her hand wrapped around the hilt as she looked up to see Poseidon’s steel-blue eyes on her. Slowly and deliberately, he nodded once. She nodded in return and took a deep breath, letting it out slowly to calm her shaking nerves. Gathering her strength, Andromeda pushed herself to her feet and charged at the king with the sword raised, screaming incoherently. She swung the sword at him as he spun on the spot, catching her wrist in both of his hands. The tip of the sword managed to just break the skin above his heart, causing a single drop of blood to fall. He looked into Andromeda’s eyes with genuine shock on his face for the first time in eons. She pushed against his hands in a desperate attempt to drive the sword further in, surprising everyone in the room with the strength she displayed.

“Insolent girl,” Zeus panted, fighting against her. “I am Almighty Zeus, King of the gods. Who are you to defy me?” Sweat dotted both of their brows as they fought for dominance. Andromeda could feel her grip slipping and her strength waning with every passing second, and just as she felt she couldn’t hold on any longer, her eyes fell on Perseus’ ashes. Gritting her teeth, she looked up at Zeus with fire in her eyes.

“I’m a hero,” she answered. Planting her feet firmly and mustering every ounce of strength she had, Andromeda let out a roar and pushed against the sword. Zeus’ grip slipped slightly, and the sword plunged into his chest all the way up to the hilt. His eyes widened in shock as his hands fell and he looked down at the sword that had run him through. Andromeda stared at it with him for a moment before pulling it out, sending Zeus staggering back into his throne with his hands clamped over his wound. Lightning started to crackle in his eyes as he looked over to his brothers. They stared silently back at him, offering no help as he started to gasp for air. Everyone fell back as the lightning spread from his eyes over his head and down his torso. With one final look to Andromeda and a blood-curdling scream, Zeus exploded in a giant blast of lightning.

The peal of thunder that followed Zeus’ death seemed to last forever. When it finally ended it took the clouds that had gathered with it, and for the first time in five years, the Olympians could see the stars. Andromeda fell to her knees and began to cry again, letting the sword fall from her hand. Her friends watched her in stunned silence. They looked back and forth at one another, none of them sure what to do or say, or even if anything could console her. They could only stand there, still as the statues that filled their temples, watching as she broke in front of them. Finally, and quite surprisingly to everyone, Hephaestus dragged himself to his feet. He staggered over to Andromeda and flopped down next to her, taking her hand gently in his. Neither of them spoke. They just sat silently, hand in hand. His sorrow mimicked her own, bleeding from his soul into hers, connecting them in the worst way imaginable. After a time, Andromeda looked up at the gods until she found who she was looking for.

“Can you bring him back?” she asked Hades desperately.

“I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “Zeus didn’t just kill him, he obliterated him. His soul…his essence doesn’t exist anymore. There’s nothing to bring back.” For the first time since they’d met, Andromeda saw actual remorse in his eyes. His apology now was for so much more than his inability to bring her husband back. She nodded slowly and sniffled, wiping her nose on the back of her free hand. Poseidon sighed softly and walked forward, crouching down in front of her.

“Rommie,” he said gently. “We can’t stay here.” Her eyes met his as a fresh wave of tears spilled out and she grabbed at his flesh arm.

“I don’t have anywhere to go,” she whispered.

“Let’s start by getting off the floor,” he suggested, moving to help her up. Andromeda stared at the ground as Poseidon and Hephaestus helped her up, her eyes once again falling on Perseus’ remains. And that’s when it hit her. The clarity of what she had to do now dawned on her as if Apollo himself had raised it.

“Hermes,” she called out. “Can you send me back to Earth?” Poseidon froze in front of her as she turned to face a stunned Hermes.

“Y-you want to go back?” he asked.

“Maybe take a little time to think things over,” Athena suggested, his voice thick. Andromeda finally took a look around and saw how disheveled the gods were. Every one of them had tear streaks down their faces, even Ares. Hestia was still on the ground over Aphrodite. Seeing them like this only cemented for Andromeda that she didn’t belong.

“I don’t need time,” she said, looking around the room. “I was never supposed to be here. Perseus and I…we wanted to go home. That’s what started this whole thing. And now he’s gone. Zeus took my immortality. I don’t belong here anymore. It’s past time for me to live out my life.” By the time she finished speaking, most of the remaining gods were in tears again. Poseidon turned her gently to face him, a single tear falling from his eye.

“Rommie, I need you to understand something,” he said. “If we send you back, that’s it. With Zeus gone, it’s going to be chaos up here. For centuries. Hera will want your head. Olympus will be locked down for the rest of your mortal life. This is a one-way ticket.” More tears fell from his eyes as he spoke, and Andromeda reached up and brushed them away.

“I understand,” she whispered, nodding gently. “Please, Poseidon.” The sea god leaned into her touch and closed his eyes, sighing softly. He cupped her face in his hands and leaned forward to press a soft kiss to her forehead.

“The favor of the gods,” he mumbled against her skin. “It will take you to Elysium when you die.” He pulled back and looked down at her with a watery smile.

“Thank you,” she said, smiling softly back at him.

“Live well, Andromeda,” Poseidon said, letting her go slowly. She held onto his hand until the distance was too great, and eventually turned to face Hermes.

“I’m ready,” she said before looking over her friends one last time. “I love you all. Thank you.” Hermes placed a hand on her shoulder and just as they were about to leave, Poseidon cried out.

“Wait!”

Every head in the room turned to him as he held his hand out. He swallowed thickly and took a shaky breath before he spoke again.

“I can’t bring Perseus back,” he said, his voice cracking slightly. “But I can give you something else you’ve lost.” Andromeda and the others watched in confusion as Poseidon kneeled to scoop up Perseus’ ashes. He walked them carefully over to a window that had been blown open during Zeus’ rage, and with another deep breath he blew them out among the stars. Andromeda felt her heart thud in her chest as the stars started to glow brighter in the sky. The constellations shifted in their places until two she recognized came into view. She let out a choked sob as Poseidon reunited her and Perseus in the heavens.

“I know it’s not the same as having him back,” he said, turning to her. “But hopefully this is a small comfort.” Andromeda tried to speak but nothing came out, so she settled for a small nod as Perseus rejoined his remaining brother. With a final look at the place she once called home, Hermes put a hand on her shoulder and whisked her away.

**TEN YEARS LATER**

Y/N sat at her favorite table in her favorite cafe, sipping her tea and reflecting on the time that had passed since she’d returned from Olympus. When she’d visited Earth with Perseus, a decade seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Now, on her own, the last ten years had felt like a lifetime. She hadn’t been on Olympus long enough to arouse suspicion, so both her apartment and her job were waiting for her once Hermes had left. Dr. Strange took a liking to her and helped pay her way through nursing school. She worked beside him as a right hand, and though the job was often demanding, he treated her well and she enjoyed the work. Her life was quiet, and she liked it that way.

Nights were the hardest. When they were in season, she would spend hours staring out her window and her and Perseus’ constellations. She still prayed, only now she included all her old friends as well as Perseus. She told them about her life and how much she missed them, and every so often she’d find a little sign that they missed her too. A large snowy owl had taken up residence outside her window, reminding her Hades still had a sense of humor. Demeter made sure all the plants in her home thrived, but her favorite was the dagger Poseidon had sent her. She found it in her bathtub of all places, a small trident carved into the oak handle. She carried it with her everywhere, always tucked safely at her waist as it was now. She felt it there as she read an article on her phone. The Daily Bugle had been writing non-stop about the recent crime wave in the city, and today was no different.

_NYC NEEDS SAVING: WHEN WILL A NEW HERO ARRIVE?_

Y/N scoffed slightly and scrolled past just as the front door burst open.

“Everyone get down! This is a robbery!”

Two gunshots rang out as customers dove to the floor as ordered. Y/N slid from her chair and onto the floor under her table, chancing a quick look up at the robber. He was young, maybe in his twenties, and his hands shook as he looked over the crowd.

“Nobody try any hero shit or you’re all dead!” he ordered, pointing his gun around the room. Y/N rolled her eyes slightly and sat back, adjusting when she felt her dagger digging into her hip. Suddenly, right next to her ear, a voice she had almost started to forget whispered to her.

_My hero._

She whipped her head around, looking for the owner of the voice but knowing he wouldn’t be there. Her hands shook slightly as she looked down at her phone.

_WHEN WILL A NEW HERO ARRIVE?_

Slowly, she drew the dagger from her hip and looked down. On the hilt, opposite the trident and burned into the wood, were tiny recreations of the constellations she stared at every night. Thunder clapped outside as Y/N looked back up, gripping the oak tight in her hand. She eyed the robber with a small smirk on her face as she crawled out from under the table and readied herself for a fight.


	5. Cast List

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Some people were confused about which gods were who so here's the cast list!

##  **_The Cast_ **

**_Peter Parker as Perseus_ **

**_Reader as Andromeda_ **

**_Steve Rogers as Zeus_ **

**_Bucky Barnes as Poseidon_ **

**_Sam Wilson as Hades_ **

**_Tony Stark as Hermes_ **

**_Peggy Carter as Hera_ **

**_Maria Hill as Persephone_ **

**_Natasha Romanoff as Ares_ **

**_Bruce Banner as Athena_ **

**_Felicia Hardy as Aphrodite_ **

**_Scott Lang as Hephaestus_ **

**_Clint Barton as Apollo_ **

**_Kate Bishop as Artemis_ **

**_Carol Danvers as Demeter_ **

**_Wanda Maximoff as Hestia_ **


End file.
